Since ancient times there has been a need for portable, simple seating devices that could be easily set up in a variety of different environments, and then easily removed. Thus, the objects of many innovations have been seats that could be folded into a compact size and shape for portability, while being sufficiently strong for rugged service in the field.
One problem with the individual folding chairs known in conventional art is that it is awkward to carry a plurality of them, and they still occupy a relatively large space, even when unfolded. This problem has been addressed in the past to a certain extent by the use of stackable chairs. However, the design characteristics enabling stacking significantly limit other aspects of the chairs such as aesthetic features. Further, stacking chairs take up a considerable amount of storage and/or transportation space even when stacked.
The conventional art includes collapsible chairs that have seat members pivotally connected to seat backs which fold for storage. Collapsible chairs have also been made of light weight materials for easy transportation. However, in spite of these expedients, it is often very awkward for one person to carry two or more collapsible chairs at the same time.
Many other variations of foldable seats and other portable furniture have been developed as part of the conventional art. Such devices are used for such diverse activities as camping, fishing, hunting, and hiking. The use of camp chairs is well known on military campaigns, and has been adopted by spectators at sporting events. The requirements of such furniture include a compact folded size and shape; reasonably light weight for portability; a reasonably attractive appearance; and, comfort for the user.
In the conventional art, the simplest form of foldable seat is the familiar camp stool having a frame and support members formed in an inverted U-shape. Two such U-shaped structures can be pivotally connected at approximately the middle of the respective vertical sides, allowing the two structures to open into an X-shape with an attached flexible seat stretching across the top of the X. When folded, the two U-shaped parts close together against each other in a manner similar to scissors closing, and the flexible seat is folded in between the folding frame parts. A number of foldable seats using the X-shaped arrangement are well known in the conventional art. Some examples are U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,965 to Engman; U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,229 to Aripze-Gilmore; U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,248 to Ross et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,825 to Belft; and, U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,415 to Yee. All of these are incorporated herein by reference. However, there are certain limitations to the X-shaped structure, including limitations on the weight that the structure will accept, the number of occupants, the ease of handling, and the lack of structure to support accouterments such as canopies, tables, etc.
Some of these limitations have been addressed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,190 to Wolf. This patent discloses a foldable portable chair with two side-by-side seats. The supporting framework of the chair includes four support members. The first and second support members are hingeably attached to each other at their upper ends to form an inverted V-shape. The third and fourth support members are also hingeably attached to each other at their lower ends to form a V-shape. The first and third support members and the second and fourth support members are then pivotally attached to each other so as to fold in a scissors-like fashion. A first seat extends between the first support member and the third support member. A second seat extends between the second support member and the fourth support member. In the preferred embodiment of this design, the support members are U-shaped, and arranged so that a storage compartment is suspended between the two seat members.
Unfortunately, the Wolf patent provides no back support. This deficiency has been addressed by the foldable settee in U.S. Pat. No. 1,858,254 to Uline. Back support is provided by detachable members which extend perpendicular to the seat structures. While this dual chair arrangement folds into a compact structure for transport, more than one piece must be carried. Also, assembly and disassembly can be complicated, as are the structures necessary to constitute the back and arm supports for the chairs. Further, this structure has no capacity for accommodating features such as tables or shade canopies.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,928 to Staunton et al. discloses joined concertina chairs that can provide for up to 6 chair multiple arrangements. Such arrangements comprise three or more rigid vertical support frames defining the sides of two or more chairs and having front and rear edges, two pairs of diagonally crossed members located, respectively, between the front and rear edge regions of each frame. Each one of the pairs of members are pivotally connected adjacent a lower end to a separate one of an adjacent frame and are pivotally joined to the other member at or near it's midpoint. The upper ends of the two pairs of members define a plane for a seat when the chair arrangement is in a fully deployed seating configuration. A brace is pivotally connected adjacent to the upper ends of each member and pivotally connected to the adjacent support frame. This arrangement includes hand grips associated with the upper end of one or more of each of the pair of members located at the rear of the chairs to enable the chairs to be folded so that the frames are brought together into close proximity when the hand grips are grasped and raised. However, these chairs are formed closely adjacent to each other and provide little additional arm or shoulder space for the adjacent users. Further, there is no provision to accommodate other features such as tables or canopies for the comfort for the users.
Another portable dual-chair arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,375 to English, and is specifically directed to a beach chair loveseat. The adjoining beach chairs are light and collapsible and arranged in the configuration of a loveseat, allowing two or more persons to sit together with no separating arm rests or other division between them. Each chair is individually collapsible and foldably hinged in a side-by-side configuration to at least one adjoining beach chair so that the beach chair loveseat may fold into a compact fully, collapsed position for portability. Adjoining seat backs are locked together to stabilize the overall structure in the fully deployed position. It is noted that the loveseat structure does not provide for accommodations such as canopies or tables for the comfort of the users.
The additional comfort of a shade umbrella is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 5,301,998 to Davis. This structure is constituted by a pair of foldable lounge seats connected along the respective inboard sides to a table panel positioned between the two seats. A convex depression in the top of each lounge seat panel accommodates collapsing of the hinged seat back. The lounge seats and table panel are foldable into a compact rectangular shape. Carrying straps are provided for transporting the collapsed device. An opening in the table panel accommodates an umbrella pole to provide shade, and to secure the overall device to the ground when fully deployed for use. It is noted that the support for the seats is provided by the ground rather than support structures such as that found with the previously cited examples of conventional art. Also, transportation of the seat structure requires disassembly into a plurality of pieces. Thus, the provision of the shading apparatus results in an awkward arrangement for transporting the structure.
A more elaborate shading arrangement is provided by the canopy attachment for a lawn chair disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,432 to Connel. In this arrangement an individual canopy is provided, but for an individual chair. The canopy frame is mounted on the chair via a detachable connection to the cross rod that is arranged in the chair at the junction of the chair seat and the chair back. The canopy frame is made up of a plurality of relatively foldable parts for compact disposition when detached from the chair. In addition to the detachable of the chair, the canopy support frame has a further connection to the chair in upwardly spaced relation to the cross member, plus a roof projecting forwardly from the upper end of the support. Like the other examples of the conventional art, the use of the canopy creates an additional separate piece to be carried when the seating arrangement is transported. Also, the overall structure of the canopy is rather large and awkward to transport. Further, assembly of the canopy to the chair is also relatively complex and awkward.
A much more simplified personal canopy arrangement is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,249 to Mills. The structure disclosed therein is for an adjustable canopy for a wheelchair or a beach chair. The canopy is constituted by a tubular frame which may be turned and set into any desired angular position. Also, the tubular frame of the canopy can be coupled to the tubular back frame of a chair in a frictional relationship to be slidable along the back frame of the chair so that the canopy may be set to a variety of elevations above the seat of the chair. Since the canopy is designed to be used with a separate chair, the chair and the canopy must be transported as two separate pieces. Consequently, transportation of the overall structure (chair and canopy) becomes far more problematical than with transportation of a single piece. Further, only a single chair can be accommodated by the canopy while the canopy provides no additional accommodations such as a chair stand or a foot rest that might be desired by the user.
Both a chair table and footrest are provided by the collapsible chaise lounge structure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,956 to Hofmeyer. The foldable table and attachment is connected to a sidebar of the collapsible chaise lounge for pivotal movement between a storage position and overlying engagement with a surface of the seat portion of the chaise lounge, and a fully deployed use position wherein the table top extends generally horizontally outward from the seat portion. A pivotal leg structure on the table top is moved from a storage position parallel to the table top to a fully deployed use position extended downwardly from the table top to the ground to achieve support. Because of this arrangement, the chaise lounge-table combination may be collapsed and stored in the same space as that required for the storage of the chaise lounge alone. However, only a single individual can be seated upon the structure and there is no accommodations for a canopy.
Thus, while the conventional art has achieved a number of aspects of a desirable multi-person seating arrangement, each of the aforementioned designs has severe limitations. Further, none of the aforementioned designs has been able to include all of the desirable features found in the many examples of the conventional art.